What a Zoo!: Fainting Episode Cancels Snorkeling

Saturday, May 18, 2024

Fainting Episode Cancels Snorkeling

Day One in the Florida Keys

We all slept in and woke up on our own time. Abby and Emmy were up early, and by the time I got up, Robb and Abby had already snorkeled in the lagoon. Emmy and I spotted a huge iguana lounging on the rocks, basking in the sun like it was as common as a squirrel.

After that, we got ready and I made lunches, then we headed to Bahia Honda State Park for our snorkeling tour. On the way there, we kept seeing people running in what we initially thought was a marathon. Turns out, it was a Mega Marathon—a 100-mile race. We were drenched in sweat after loading everything into the car, so kudos to them, but that seems crazy!

We arrived at Bahia Honda State Park just in time to check in for our tour. We stood around for a while in the intense heat—sun-beating-down, sweaty-hot weather. As we were getting our instructions before boarding the boat, Abby told me she was hot. I agreed, but then she mentioned she might pass out. I had her sit on the ground, and we poured some water on her. After giving her a moment, I helped her to her feet, thinking the best course of action was to get her on the boat where there was shade. But as we walked up the ramp, Abby said again that she was going to pass out. Before I could react, she went completely limp in my arms. Her eyes rolled back in her head, and she was like a ragdoll. At that point, it was clear we shouldn’t put her on the boat.

Bryce and I helped Abby back to the store where it was air-conditioned, and we found her a chair to sit in. On our way, the boat crew offered to call an ambulance, and a woman mentioned that her husband was a paramedic if we needed help. I was pretty confident it was just a case of Abby overheating and not eating enough before leaving. I deal with fainting incidents at work all the time, so I wasn’t overly concerned about handling it. Robb took the rest of the family off the boat and back to us. Caleb, it turned out, was on the boat and was going to head out with the rest of the group, but Bryce grabbed Abby’s water, her sandwich, and some strawberries from the car. Abby was feeling much better by this point, and we had her stay seated for about 45 minutes while she ate her lunch before letting her get up.

Although we missed the snorkeling tour, we decided to cool off by playing in the ocean at the beach. It ended up being a pretty good day for snorkeling, too. Bryce and Robb found a lobster they wanted to bring back for dinner, and Caleb found a crab. Emmy’s mood was hit-or-miss, though—she wasn’t a fan of the saltwater, which stung her eyes and tasted gross. So, she wasn’t thrilled with that part of the day.

After some time in the water, we had lunch in the van and then headed back to the house. The Keys are long, so it takes a while to get anywhere. We stopped for ice cream and a few groceries before heading home. Norman, the owner of the Airbnb we’re staying at, brought us a golf cart to use for the week, and the girls were excited about it. The kids took turns driving it all over the place.

For dinner, we made a meal and ate in the covered pavilion by the house. There were plenty of hiccups throughout the day, it is just a reminder that it's a trip, not a vacation. Still, we made some great memories.

Funny Moments of the Day:

Caleb spent the whole day calling Bryce a "naked mole rat" after his new buzz cut. Bryce also had to buy a swim cap to keep his head from burning.
Caleb, in his typical style, pointed out that he made sure Abby wasn’t dead and then started teasing her about passing out—30 minutes after the incident. Clearly, enough time had passed to ensure she was okay, but the teasing didn’t stop and probably won’t for the next couple of years.

All these little fish came up to you when you went in the lagoon area. In Nebraska a lagoon is usually something to do with a waste water system. The lagoon here was an area where the ocean inlet to this area.